In Search of Secrets
The mountains hide many things. Secrets that its people hid, tragedies of lesser minds, the blood of Indians, old scotch bottles. These relics decay in the old mines and glens, in tumbled down ruins, and under the stones left behind from foundations.
Stumbling on the slopes, scratching against rough tree bark, catching yourself on a vine, you walk over graveyards, you walk with ghosts. The mountains have guided more than you to forget all else but the birdsong, so realize how strong you are, how much stronger you could be in your ideal world.
People want to know what the deal is with the fog that blocks out our fingers held in front of our noses. Nothing is up with it. It exists, like the bones of a deer or oyster mushrooms you chance across.
You hunt for the horns of the stag like the aimless bullet that felled it and the seeming trajectory of fellow lives. You cook the mushrooms in butter and eat them with white wine and your lover under a moon that never crests the mountains.
In the whispering dusk when the bottle is empty and you have touched the weeping ground, when you have feasted on the creamy face of your soulmate, you write. Only none of the stories belong to you. You stole them.
You stole them from mute lips.
Photo by Jared Subia on Unsplash
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Diana
Gorgeous imagery, Jaya! I am a sucker for imagery ! Stay blessed ❤🌹
ellegracedeveson
This is so beautifully written! Xo
lynnmumbingmejia
Beautiful written as always! The first 2 paragraphs gave me chills! People often talk about how mysterious oceans are but I forget that mountains have the same effect! Thanks for sharing xx
Lynn | https://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Jaya Avendel
Oo, love your parallel to the oceans and mountains!
Jenny in Neverland
This is beautiful! I love the very first line – it sets such a scene!
barbaraleaver
The relics left behind in the mountains – very relatable poem to the amazing paintings that the Indigenous people of Australia gave us. Lovely prose.
Jaya Avendel
OO, loving the parallels you draw between my mountains and the lifeblood of your land!
Lisa's Notebook
This is such an interesting take – I’d always thought that writers brought old stories and tales to life but this is a totally different angle – I’d never considered that perhaps sometimes we steal stories. Wow, Jaya, you’ve made me think today! x
Jaya Avendel
Thanks, Lisa! I thought myself writing this. Everything comes from somewhere. 💖
Aspen Hite
Wonderful! The way you use words astounds me. I’m currently caught in the throws of Vikings (Prime TV series) and as I read your words above, I could picture everything playing out like on a TV series/movie. Even more so, I could feel the gripping suspense, fear, excitement, and love. Incredible use of words. Well done.
Jaya Avendel
Vikings has sweeping views and scenery, so I <3 that this brought such motional pictures to your mind!
Tom
Gorgeous imagery and such a rich story-telling! That final idea is so fantastic – no idea is conjured from nowhere. Our ‘inspiration’ is extracting the beauty from the natural world and those same, silent mountains and enslaving the sentiment in words
Jaya Avendel
Loving the fresh new way you read this, Tom 😍
lifestyleseason
Love this prose! Thank you for sharing this! It’s so mysterious and well written!
glowsteady
This is beautiful, I could fully imagine being on that walk with all of these thoughts and questions.
Shantanu Baruah
What an imagery you created – and good to see your mug shot – keep shinning
Jaya Avendel
😄 Mug shot! ☕️
Shantanu Baruah
😀😀you look gorgeous 😊
Sharila
Beautiful writing! I love the food reference and the overall vibe of the poem.
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
I am enchanted while reading these Words.
Do you live in a place on the mountains?
Walking over graveyards, this is something I know more personally.
But what I am sure about is that everytime you let me enter in a world that is MAGIC!
Thanks a lot my dear!
Jaya Avendel
I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, so I am surrounded by the beauty I attempt to share in words. Delighted you felt the magic!
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
Blue Ridge … the name itself is magic!
KK
A beautiful piece!!
Raji (@journeyintofantasy)
Another wonderful piece Jaya! I really enjoy reading your longer works, and I love the descriptions of mountain history in this one!
Jaya Avendel
Thank you!
Michele Lee
Your connection to your natural surroundings inspires and moves me. Your descriptive storytelling brings us into the many scenes you create. I love this phrase ~ “fog that blocks out our fingers.” Fantastic and the ending is sublime.
Jaya Avendel
I have experienced such fog before. No fun to drive in when it descends on the parkway, but it is magical!
minametry84
I liked the opening piece, the mountains hide many things. That is true and you used georgeous words
Gabriela Marie Milton
Aw… you mesmerized me. Very beautiful.
xoxo
Jaya Avendel
I am charmed, Garbiela, and truly honored I mesmerized you.
Gabriela Marie Milton
You are great. I really love your writings 🌹🌹🌹🌹
Unwanted Life
Truly awesome. I don’t think I’ve read as many of your long pieces as I have your haikus, but your work never disappoints
Jaya Avendel
>3 Thank you so much! I am loving mixing in long with the short.
Kelly Diane
Beautifully written Jaya. This gave me chills.
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
Wow I really love this one ☝🏼 sumptuous 🔥
Jaya Avendel
‘Sumptuous’ is a glorious word to sum up an experience of this piece! <3
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
👍🏻
eob2
Wonderful poem, Jaya, you’ve painted mountain history, people and life there in.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you! I try do encapsulate some of the stories I find around me. 🙂
eob2
You’re welcome. 🙂
Ingrid
Beautifully written and enchanting! 😊